1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to the packaging of surgical sutures and relates more particularly to a flat paper blank foldable to form a suture winding card adapted for the packaging of a number of types of sutures.
2. Background Information
The packaging of surgical sutures and surgical threads is complicated by the variety of types and sizes of sutures as well as surgical thread. The combination of a length of surgical thread with a needle attached to one or both ends thereof is known as a suture, and sutures are made with needles of various types and sizes and with surgical thread in a variety of sizes and lengths.
Since each suture or surgical thread package must maintain the sterility of the contents from the time of manufacture and packaging until the time of use, it is essential that the package be structured such that it will withstand transportation, storage and handling processes without jeopardizing the sterility of its contents. In the case of needles, provision must be made to prevent the inadvertent puncture of the package by the sharp needle point or edge, which would, of course, immediately compromise the sterility of the package.
In the past, a variety of packaging arrangements have been utilized for sutures and for surgical thread but, for the most part, these packages have been designed for a particular type of product, for example a suture including a long straight needle, or a suture having a small curved needle. The use of folded paper stock as the initial package element has been widely used in various configurations, with one or more additional sealed packaging elements enveloping the folded card bearing the suture or surgical thread to maintain the sterility of the contents.
Typically, the suture needle in conventional packages is secured to a paper carrier card by means of a slit in the card through which the needle is passed. Examples of such an arrangement are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 268,811, 3,876,068 and 4,496,045. Such arrangements do not serve to positively anchor the needle in place, and needle migration could permit the needle point to penetrate the sealed package.